Author: tylerus

I'm primarily a writer of fiction and blog posts, and a sometimes editor and proofreader of books, manuals, and film/television scripts. Fact-checking and researching, organizing and coordinating are skills and joys (I enjoy playing detective and developing structure). My fiction audience: lovers of female-sleuth mysteries. My genres of preference: mysteries (needless to say), women’s fiction, informative and helpful “affirmative” non-fiction.
So-o, here I am, staring up a new blog for aspiring and established e-Book writers. The plan: to share the (long) journey of getting to this stage, and share "learnings" and "teachings". There's a lot I hope to accomplish with this blog, but it may be a while before that happens as there's a lot on the ol' plate - taking care of Mom, working full-time, and attempting to get another book in the Triple Threat Investigation Agency series written (never mind blog postings and other writing projects).
It's very challenging and it's all good. As I like to say: teeny focused baby steps are just as effective as long forceful strides. It may take a little longer, but we will get there.

There’s [still-lllllllllllllllllll] a knee-high heap of articles and emails to read re getting a mailing list going, attracting viewers/followers, and making big bucks. Should I laugh or weep?

It’s kinda like suffering from writer’s block—you’re stuck, determining what direction to take, what to do first, and who to attract. The thing about becoming motivated is that you may already be completing or accomplishing things, but you’re just not quite focused or informed enough to impel yourself that little bit further.

Or you may have a comfortable routine that suits your needs. There’s no need to learn more; you just continue doing what you’re doing. <pointing finger at moi>

Every day, I whip up a brief Facebook post for my Triple Threat private-eye gals. I’ll add a little pic, maybe an emoji. Voilà! Every Wednesday and Saturday, I create a WordPress post or page related to writing or my lovely lady detectives. Voilà! Damn, I’m good. And let’s not forget that Typepad blog that no one visits; there’s a weekly post there, too. Damn, I’m really good.

. . . Not really. <LMAO> I haven’t motivated myself to learn [more] about—or apply—those [%!@!] mailing lists I post about. No ifs or buts: they’re vital to success. As such, I can hardly question, or grumble about, why I’ve not attracted more than a couple of followers. My [really] bad.

But, in deference to self, it’s a question of time, too. There’s very little of it in my current life (given a full-time job and taking care of Mom), so I apply it where I can: posting and writing. If I don’t do either, then I’m a non-entity. But if I don’t promote/market, then I’m a non-entity, too.

LMAO again. The intention had been to post about motivation and I’ve gone off on a bit of a tangent about myself. Look for “Part 2” next week on tips/strategies for you [us] to get motivated and inspired. Let’s locate that elusive mojo!

Okay, not really shameless; just promotion. If I don’t toot my own horn, who will? (One day, that mail list / campaign will happen and when it does, hopefully, my followers will be happy to toot-toot-toot along.)

On the Forever Poi front, the third official case for the Triple Threat Investigation Agency trio: it’s slowly but surely wrapping up. In fact, JJ, Rey and Linda want you to know that this latest case is moving along “swimmingly well”.

The gals have a lot of leads, suspicions and “gut feelings”, but no tangible proof—yet. But they also have have stick-to-it-tiveness (and a penchant for doing things slightly illegally), so there’s little doubt that they’ll be fingering the culprit(s) soon.

Here’s some insight into their “swimmingly well” success so far:

“Man, can that dude yammer. He’s worse than Grandma Columba,” Rey muttered under her breath.

We’d just received a ten-minute “lecture” from Ald Ives after he and his team had completed a preliminary assessment of Bizz Waxx and the studio.

The three of us were seated in a corner on the first floor on uncomfortable wooden chairs with vivid serpents snaking up the legs. Sporting a hint of a beard, Ald looked relatively relaxed and rather handsome dressed in True Religion jeans, a white-and-navy long-sleeved T, and a black full-zip jacket. The derisive tone was the only thing to give away his true mood.

“I heard that, Fonne-Werde.”

She sneered. “You get an ‘A’ for A-1 hearing.”

“You, lady, are in no position to get lippy.”

“We found you a dead body. You should be applauding us.”

With a scowl, he tucked hands into jean pockets and leaned into a wall. “This isn’t the end.”

“Of course it isn’t,” she snorted. “There’s a murderer to catch!”

Exchanging sideward glances, Linda and I swallowed amused smiles.

“And that’ll do from you two!”

With Eru (Hyouka) Chitanda innocence, we stated at the detective.

“Those doleful anime expressions don’t get you off the hook. Haven’t I warned you time and time again about breaking and entering?”

“Mr. Waxx invited us to drop by at any time,” I stated flatly, crossing my arms. (What was a little white lie?)

Crossing hers, Linda nodded. “Yeah.”

“Without a key?”

“He wasn’t around, so we let ourselves in.” I pulled out my cell when Dean crooned. It was just after midnight and Cash Layton Jones was still calling. Give the man ten points for resilience. But then, as he’d once said, we were both as persistent as dogs chomping on bones.

He stepped close and our toes nearly touched. “You entered without a key. That’s otherwise described as gaining admittance to someone’s premises without authorization . . . especially after the use of illegal means to gain said entry.”

“Can you prove there was no authorization? As I said, we had no key, so we had to find another means of access.” I rose. “And ‘illegal’ is a rather dodgy word, don’t you think?”

“Yeah,” Rey slapped her thigh. “You say po-tay-toe, we say poe-tah-toh, but it amounts to the same thing: we did your job by finding the poor guy.”

Ald looked from her to me to Linda, and shook his head. “This is getting too weird for me. Go home and get some sleep. We’ll continue tomorrow—in my office at eleven.”

There’s [still] a knee-high pile of articles and emails to plow through re getting a mailing list going, attracting viewers/followers, and making big bucks. <LMAO> It sounds so f’g easy. And, for some, I don’t doubt that it is. God bless you that have it easy.

As one of the “missions” of this blog is to share information gleaned, I thought I’d touch upon that valuable marketing tool called the “Call to Action Button” (CTA).

It has a plethora of purposes—like getting readers to sign up for your mailing list, subscribing to your blog/website, leading them to your shop, or purchasing a product or service. You can use these CTAs in posts or add them to a sidebar. Whatever it is you want your visitor or viewer to do, make sure you have one. But before you design one, ask yourself this: “what’s the goal of my blog (website)”?

There’s a ton of stuff to be learned about this lovely little tool; given this is a post and not a page or in-depth PDF doc, here are a few highlights (which I’ll apply to mine, when I finally apply a CTA to this blog—and I will).

Make it clear/uncomplicated. Your visitor should be drawn to it almost immediately. Let it stand out from the bordering content, so watch what’s around it. Also, keep an eye on the size of your button. Too small and it’ll be lost; too big and it’ll take over the screen.

Fun fonts are just that—fun, far-out, and frivolous—but make sure they’re readable. Keep your lovely call-to-action short and sweet. Create a sense of urgency, if doable. Consider words like: “try”, “buy”, “sign up”, “get”, “join”, “start”, and “send” to name but a few (“free” is a pretty good one, too). Get personal, as well: use “you” and “me”.

Offer a reason (or two) why your visitor should complete your CTA. And don’t overwhelm him or her by offering too many actions or options.

You can keep them rectangular, as most of them are, or you can opt for something different—circle, box, star, whatever you like.

Remember: while a CTA may look amazing, it may not generate action (i.e. convert traffic), so you’ll want to test it out.

In my Google travels, I came across a couple of free call-to-action button sites (and this is by no means an endorsement, simply a sharing of something found); I’ve not tried them. You may want to check them out (like I plan to) to see where they take you. But, like I always say: do your due diligence. Learn what’s out there: absorb and apply . . . and have some fun, too.

Mr. X, a fictional character (or maybe not), and his foray into the publishing world make for some solid do’s and don’ts about doing just that: entering the intriguing, if not intimidating, writing world.

As a non-editor and non-researcher, Mr. X’s fiction writing leans towards the flat. The ideas are sound; the execution not so much. The gent has never seen any reason to edit his work or engage someone to do it, listen to opinions, or take advice. Confidence is a very good thing; egoism probably not so much.

Not understanding why he couldn’t attract a traditional publisher or agent, Mr. X figured he go the self-publishing route—i.e. use a vanity (or subsidy) press. Wouldn’t you know it? He picked a press that has one of the worst reputations out there (we’ll be kind and keep it nameless). As a non-researcher, he’d simply gone with whoever tickled his fancy. (As an FYI, it took a good decade for him to discover his “publisher” had received a copious amount of bad press and wasn’t respected by legitimate publishers and agents. Better late than never, as the saying goes.)

The point? Do your due diligence. And do it well.

Kudos to Mr. X, though, for strength of conviction. He determined that his first book was so good, it should be made into a movie. So, while penning a few more novels, he started chasing producers and directors, and agents. Standard we’re-reviewing-your-submission replies were accepted as we’re-really-excited-to-have-your-amazing-stuff responses. Humbleness is a good thing; arrogance maybe not so much.

In the [very] rare instance that someone requested more information or documentation, he complied . . . and advised where the requester could purchase his book(s). This almost certainly is not a good thing, my friends. When someone expresses interest, absorb the cost (consider it an investment) and provide a free copy or two.

Alas, another factor not in his favor: Mr. X didn’t (still doesn’t) care for social media. As far as he’s concerned, it serves little merit as a promotion or marketing tool. He’s certain he’ll succeed when “the time is right”. This may be true, but after nearly 15 years, it seems evident that “the time has passed”. He’s still not known and has no deals. Playing ostrich by sticking your head in the sand and avoiding what’s out there—maybe because the truth is daunting or the amount of work/effort is overwhelming—is absolutely fine. Keep believing you’ll “luck in”. And, perhaps, you just may.

More conceivable? You’ll experience success because you made it happen.

Do your due diligence. And do it well. We all love a tale with a happy [successful] ending.

Save for vanity publishing (something to avoid like picnic potato salad lying under a blazing summer sun all afternoon), at one time, the traditional publishing route was the only [viable] one to take. It was tough—like hiking up Kilimanjaro when you’re a drive-to-the-corner kind of person.

Fortunately, the world of e-books arrived. There’s a plethora (gotta love that word) of e-book publishers out there; Smashwords, Amazon’s KDP, Nook Press, and Kobo are to name a few. You can format your work yourself, design the cover, and pretty much hold carte blanche, unlike in the traditional world where the publisher has creative control (never mind financial when you sign a binding contract).

Forgetting that [most] firms prefer to have agented writers contact them for potential representation—and that getting an agent is as difficult as getting a publisher—the odds of getting published are not in our favor. Ever hear of the “slush pile”?

According to statistics, in 2013 only 50,000 novels were published; given the number written and submitted, the chances of being one of the “lucky ones” is slim. As for agents, they tend to reject 99% of the projects received. Not particularly encouraging, is it? Rejection just plain sucks.

On a positive note, there’s tons of advice out there for both traditional and “e”, so read, read, read. Determine what’s best for you. You might even give the traditional route a try first—to get a feel for it and learn from the experience.

E-books didn’t exist when I first started writing (I’m aging myself, alas). For years, I tried acquiring an agent and publisher (whichever came first)—to no avail. But I kept writing and gaining knowledge (and experience). In retrospect, I see why I never got far: I had good ideas, but they weren’t executed well. The great news? I’ve improved—considerably so (pat on back to moi).

But this isn’t about me. It’s about persevering, no matter which publishing route you take. If you have a passion for writing, have at it! Don’t second-guess yourself and don’t give up or in to fears and frustrations.

Thanks (or not) to a full-time job, the boss is busy working through a smorgasbord of tasks. Linda’s got blogging commitments and JJ’s off doing a favor for a friend. Guess who’s in charge of posting today? Yeah, good ol’ Rey.

Thanks (or not) to a full-time job, the boss is busy working through a smorgasbord of tasks. Linda’s got blogging commitments and JJ’s off doing a favor for a friend. Guess who’s in charge of posting today? Yeah, good ol’ Rey. Like I’m a P.I. and a sometimes actress, not a bleepin’ writer!

Mind you, when I was a kid, there was a spell when I wanted to be one. I actually did do some writing, but the actress in me took over and acted out the characters’ stories. <LMAO> There was a short one, though, that was really kinda cool: Penelope the Pretty Pony. Let’s see if I can remember some of it.

Pretty Penelope the Highland Pony didn’t like walking in circles all day long, but she loved the children who sat on her back. Even when her legs were smarting, their smiles and giggles warmed her heart.

And Auntie Melanie’s Menagerie wasn’t bad. There was a large field to wander through when she wasn’t working, lots of grain and carrots, and the people that worked there were nice . . . everyone except Mean Old Marcus. He didn’t seem to like anyone.

Penelope had lots of friends, like Sassy and Simco, who were usually trailing around behind. There was also Gerry the Goat and Larry Lamb. A few days ago, though, Larry disappeared. The farmyard animals talked about it and realized Marcus was the last one to see him.

Yeah, I remember that story now. It got a bit sad there. When my mom found it, she ordered a rewrite. “Where’s your head at? It has to have a happy ending, Reynalda.” Mom and I’d always had a strange relationship. Actually, I think JJ called it “estranged”. Whatever.

The truth is that I’ve got an hour or so of actual “me” time per day, so it’s a toss of the coin. Heads, I write; tails, I promote. But if I promote, I need to decide what the best course of action is. The abundance of self-promotion/marketing info out there is overwhelming. It definitely takes (me) lots of time to digest all that requires doing. And it seems easy enough initially . . . but three hours later, there I am, still trying to figure it out.

I digress. For those not yet familiar with Wattpad, it’s a site with an informative blog and community (and labs) where—among many other things—writers can post works or persons can reach out with causes. More notably, you can read Wattpad writers’—or Wattpadders’—opuses. There’s lots of great stuff to be found.

From a writer’s perspective (forgetting the fact an audience or fanbase is probably a very good thing), I do find it rather fun. You can design your own cover if you wish (I did mine and it ain’t bad, if I do say so). You can post as often as you like, but doing so regularly (frequently) would be best. There’s something exciting about hitting “Create” and “Continue Writing”. Maybe one day the commitment will pay off. Maybe not. It’s all good, whatever the outcome.

I hear Wattpad even has awards, though I confess I’ve not yet checked that out (I’ll add this to the 105 other must-dos).

My own process: write a synopsis (five to seven pages). From that, whittle it to a one-page synopsis. The blurb evolves from that. Yeah, it can prove time-consuming. But it helps capture the true essence of the book and, sometimes, it even reveals a snag.

Your process could be totally different. Discover what works for you. If you’re a first-time “blurber”, check out blurbs in your genre. Get a feel for how they flow. Adopt that rhythm.

Here’s a quick example (using my mystery series trio):

The gals from the Triple Threat Investigation Agency stumble across a body in Ala Moana Park while waiting for a new client. Could it be, this was he—Jake the Flake? Why did someone of his notorious background want to hire them? The assault he’d recently been arrested for? Or the stalker he’d briefly mentioned on the phone? As JJ, Rey and Linda search for clues across various Hawaiian Islands, it’s apparent a number of people hated the toady guy enough to want him dead. And when their quest drags them into the dark and dangerous underground gambling world, they learn they’d better push out fast . . . before they add to the mounting body count.

Remember: you want to create interest, if not excitement. Suck in your reader. Do that by revealing the dilemma or challenge facing your character(s) without disclosing how it’s resolved.

It takes practice, like anything, but it does come—and when it does, your awesome blurbs will attract readers (and followers) and help you make sales.

For those easily offended, sorry for the “b” word . . . but, man, writer’s [and blogger’s] block can be just that.

Sometimes, it’s because ideas are bumping around in your brain like out-of-control bumper cars. Other times, it’s because you’re experiencing a dry spell as arid as the Mojave Desert. In both instances, focus is proving as clear as the Big Muddy.

There are several ways to defeat writer’s/blogger’s block and they’re painless, even enjoyable.

My fav: take a walk. (Ideas come when I’m strolling with no destination in mind.)

Similarly, get out of the house/condo/apartment and enter a different space and head place, like a lounge or gym or park.

Do something creativeor entertaining: play a game, color/draw, maybe watch a motivating or encouraging flick. Music’s nice, too (Christian R&B works for me, but if Five Finger Death Punch does it for you, go for it).

Daydream—about the story and characters, your future, an ideal vacation, the upcoming long weekend, or that perfect world. Engage the ol’ gray matter.

Jotdown words, ideas, or character sketches. Or record what you’re feeling and thinking (do some free-flow writing).

Talk to someone . . . or the dog, cat or parrot. Chatting aloud, even with yourself, can take you places (and, no, they won’t be taking you away with a butterfly net).

Search for inspiration. The folks I follow on Twitter tweet amazing sayings and stunning photos. After viewing a few of those, I’m feelin’ uplifted and very fine.

Hopefully, one of these options will work. If not, go looking for something that will . . . like I just did (writing about the writer’s/blogger’s block I was experiencing today).

In a quest for answers, JJ, Rey and Linda contend with a slew of suspects. Several persons certainly hated Picolo enough to kill him, but locating the one who actually pulled the trigger proves a challenge.

Detecting travels lead to the world of gambling and the “limb-breakers” that reside in it. In fact, Picolo’s daughter owes thousands of dollars to collectors in Vegas and Oahu. Might this have served as motivation to kill her father, so that she could collect on the will?

What about Picolo’s son? Did Jimmy Junior yearn to take over the pater’s multiple businesses? What of good ol’ nutty Coco? The little pest, uh, fellow has been AWOL since his boss’ murder.

Lady Luck smiles their way and the Triple Threat trio discover “remnants” of Coco—his tattoo and jewelry—in Picolo’s million-dollar Haleiwa retreat. It appears Coco’s another casualty. Finding the rest of him, however, is as difficult as proving Buddy innocent.

Old friends and acquaintances reappear, but whether they have the trio’s best interests at heart remains to be seen. And who can forget JJ’s dealer-agent “bad boy” boyfriend, Cash Layton Jones? She certainly can’t—badly beaten, he arrives at her door one night.

Ever-enthusiastic Kent Winche is known as “The Source” because he has an ear (and mouth) for gossip. As a Picolo employee, he has access to a sundry of potentially useful connections and eagerly offers to assist.

When the Triple Threat Investigation Agency gals get a case, it’s—in gumshoe vernacular—a humdinger of a lollapalooza. When they’re not discovering another body, they’re dodging crazy characters or racing from a detonating bomb.

If you’d like to read about the trio’s continuing mis-adventures, Coco’s Nuts, the ebook, can be found at: